One Year
by reronettie
Summary: The rebuilding of Franco and Elizabeth's relationship over the course of one year. A series of smaller story told in one big one-shot.


Day 1-

Elizabeth threw Aiden's lunch in a brown paper sack, realizing it was the last one. She needed to remember to buy more next time she went to the store. Franco usually picked them up for her, and she didn't know where they were in the store. She hated this; she was used to having someone to rely on to help around the house. She missed co-parenting.

Aiden was about to be late for school. Which meant she would be late for work. This was another huge problem. Franco always took the boys when she worked an early shift. There were lots of issues with the current situation.

Before Franco had moved in, she lived paycheck to paycheck always hoping she would have enough money to feed the boys and pay the mortgage. Over the last two years, Franco made things easier. For the first time, they lived comfortably. Now, She was worried about everything. Without their joint income, things would go back to being difficult for her and the kids. She didn't like putting the boys back in that position.

She didn't know where Franco was right now. He'd been allowed to leave Shadybrook after two weeks of evaluation. They determined that he would need to stay in Port Charles for a year and continue to be evaluated for his condition. However, Elizabeth could not legally force the reversal procedure on him. This meant he was forced to stay in town, but there was little she could do to keep him from Kim.

Elizabeth still had nightmares about finding them together. Julian dumped Kim immediately, and she had gone even further off the deep end. She had supposedly tried to go and visit Franco in the institution. The last time Elizabeth had run into her, Kim told her nothing could stop her and Drew from being together. Elizabeth reminded her again that Franco was not Drew.

As much as Liz hated her for what she had done, she wondered if Kim needed to be committed to Shadybrook. She seemed to be truly broken. If she hadn't taken advantage of Franco, Liz would feel sorry for her. But her behavior was unforgivable, and Liz never wanted to talk to her again.

The good news was after her shift got over, Franco wanted to have a drink with her. She was not sure why he had asked, but when they spoke, he had been very kind. Elizabeth experienced nothing but relief when she heard his voice on the phone, she had been terrified that he wouldn't speak to her.

She got Aiden to school and herself to work. It was a long, crazy shift, and as the time started to tick down, she could do nothing but stare at the clock. No matter whose personality and memories he had, she wanted to see her husband. She would never give up on him.

As she reached Kelly's, she worried he wouldn't show up. To her surprise, when she walked in the door, he was already waiting for her at a booth. Kim was nowhere in sight. She walked over nervously twirling a strand of her hair.

"Hello, Fr..." She started. He gave her an unexpected smile, different from Franco but friendly all the same.

"Call me whatever name makes you most comfortable. I haven't decided on anything, yet. I'm thinking either Drewco or Frew." Elizabeth laughed at this. She was happy. "Want to help me come up with something better?"

"You seem different." Elizabeth expressed.

"Two weeks in psych care will do that." He teased.

"I'm sorry it was necessary." Elizabeth pursed her lips in mock innocence. She had no regrets about what she did. "I fully understand if you hate me."

"I don't actually. I admire you." Elizabeth was surprised by his statement. "I needed it. I couldn't accept reality. I never loved anybody in my whole life enough to have them committed. Not even..." He trailed off. A sick pit formed in Elizabeth's stomach.

"It is OK. You love Kim. As much as I hated seeing my husband's body with her, I knew it was you and not him. I hate her, but I don't blame you, she is what you remember." Elizabeth meant it, but the words still stung.

"Drew loves Kim," He corrected surprising Elizabeth. "The doctors convinced me that I'm not Drew Cain. Those first few days were bad. I thought I was Drew, and he's who I wanted to be. I didn't want to listen to any other possibility. You and your children didn't deserve the way I treated you. You were trying to help. The last few weeks were interesting, but they gave me some perspective."

"Well, I'm glad they helped you." Elizabeth nodded, smiling.

"I want you to understand that I have not seen Kim at all since they released me. I don't think I will. It isn't healthy for either of us. I wish I never ran into her that first day in the hospital. I think I might have come to my own conclusion sooner." He spoke regretfully. "It was shocking, seeing her after all this time and knowing how Drew loved her, and it muddled my judgment."

"I understand," Elizabeth nodded, not sure how to take this. At least she didn't need to worry about him with Kim again, which was a great relief.

"So, if you're not Drew, then who are you?" Liz asked.

"I haven't figured that out yet. I'm not Drew, and I'm not Franco." He explained, voice shaking. "I'm someone who is just figuring themselves out."

"If you let me, I'd like to help with that," Elizabeth sounded hopeful. "As a friend."

"I think I could use a friend." He looked at her eyes full of hope.

"Then that is what I will be." Elizabeth looked at the clock on her cellphone. "But right now, I, unfortunately, need to pick Jake, my middle one, up from Art Club. I hope we can do this again?" She questioned.

"How about the same time tomorrow?" She could sense something had shifted between them.

"Can we do an hour later; my shift is different tomorrow." She hoped this wouldn't change his mind.

"Of course, I will be here." He agreed.

Day 37-

Elizabeth had her daily chat with Franco in 20 minutes. She was sick all morning, and she wondered if she should call to cancel. He might be suspicious if he saw her. She was just about to do so when she found the memo on the nurse's desk reminding her that Franco's things needed to be removed from the Art therapy room this evening. The new temporary art therapist would be starting the next day. She picked up the phone a dialed it rapidly.

"Hey." She said as he answered the phone on the first ring. "I'm sorry, but something came up, and I can't make Kelly's today."

"Oh, OK. Is it one of the boys?" She debated whether to tell him, but finally decided she could t part of the truth.

"I have been sick all day, and Monica wants all of Franco's things out of the art therapy room tonight." She wiped the tears from her face before adding. "They hired a temporary replacement, until..."

"I see." He was still not willing to entertain the idea of having the procedure. "I'm sorry Demonica is doing that to you."

"What did you say?" She could feel nothing but shock at his word choice.  
"I called her Demonica." The man said.

"Franco called her that," He didn't speak for a long time. When he still didn't say anything, she continued. "I was going to call Cameron and have him come over to help me load everything. But I'm not sure we can get it all in a single load even with both cars."

"I could help. My rental is an SUV." He said. It shocked her. "This is my mess, even if I'm not Franco. Let me come by and help."

"Well, having you there might be emotional for me," Elizabeth was surprised by the gesture. They had come very far together in the last weeks. "But Yeah I guess that would be great. I need to call Cameron and tell him I will be late for dinner."

2 hours later, everything was loaded into the rental car or Elizabeth's car. The only exception was the unfinished last painting Franco was working on. She had been strangely hesitant to uncover it. It was a violation of his privacy to look at the picture, and he wasn't here to ask.

"What is it, Elizabeth?" The man with Franco's face asked.

"Nothing." She grabbed the canvas drop cloth, but suddenly his hand grabbed her around the waist. He pulled her against his body. It felt familiar and utterly foreign at the same time.

"Franco didn't want you to look at this until it was finished." He spun her around, so she was facing him. His expression was odd. "I can't let you see it either."

"How do you know what Franco wanted ?" There was both hope and alarm on her face.

"I don't have an answer, I just do." He explained. "Let me take it until I'm ready?"

"Sure, maybe you will be inspired to finish it." She hoped.

"I can't even draw a stick figure." He admitted with a happy laugh.

Day 43-

"Elizabeth." Hayden reasoned. "You need to tell Franco or Frew or whatever he is calling himself these days about this. He has a right to know."

"You're one to talk." Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"You are right. I should've told Finn about the baby sooner. I regret what I did, and you will too. Franco's gone right now, and you are not sure where everything stands. But the man in that body is the biological father of this baby. It isn't like you are getting rid of it. He will figure it out sooner or later. You two have been getting along better. I think you should tell him."

"Hayden." Elizabeth giggled. "I never thought you would be the voice of reason. I will talk to Franco this evening."

"Talk to me about what?" The man in her husband's body gave her a smile which reminded her oddly of Franco. It was eerie.

"What are you doing here?" She returned the smile.

"Well, I was thinking about applying for a hospital security position, but they won't let Franco do a job like that, so I applied as a parking attendant instead." He grimaced. "I need a job, and this was the best I could do for now."

"Franco worked as a parking attendant for a while when the Art Therapy program was cut," Hayden laughed. "I'm Hayden Barnes by the way, Elizabeth's sister."

"Oh, Yeah she has talked about you a lot. You've been a great help to her since..." He didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"Since your memory was wiped." Hayden finished.

"Yeah." He said, almost guiltily.

"Enough Hayden." Liz gave her sister a love punch. "I was going to find out if maybe you were ready to have dinner with the boys and me tonight. No pressure, I will make sure they don't try to treat you like Franco, I just thought you'd like to come over."

"I would love that." He gave a beaming smile, Elizabeth smiled back. "If Cameron will let me in the door."

"I will talk to him." She assured. "He still thinks he owes Franco, so I can convince him."

Later that evening, Aiden helped Elizabeth make Franco's favorite chicken. When the doorbell rang all four members of the family turned to answer it, Cameron made it first.

Franco stood in the doorway, holding a bottle of wine. Elizabeth was surprised that it was Franco's favorite red. Cameron looked him up and down with scrutiny. He promised to be careful, but he was pretty angry at this man for what he had done to their family.

"Hey, Cameron. I'm really sorry about the last time you saw me. I hope you can forgive me, and we can have a pleasant evening?" He stared at the teenage boy, anxious for an answer.

"Of course, the fact that you are here is doing what I asked you to do that day, just give my mom a chance." Elizabeth was proud of Cameron at that moment.

"I'm trying." The man frowned. "Really hard."

"Good," Cameron joked.

After the boys had gone upstairs to do their homework, Franco sat in the chair next to the sofa. It was strange because Franco always sat on the couch with her. She tried to remember yet again, this man was not Franco. It was getting easier to forget every single day.

"I need to tell you something, and will probably be a shocked by it" Her hands were shaking from nerves.

"I overheard you and Hayden in the hospital." His voice was barely a whisper.

"So, then you are aware I am pregnant with Franco's baby?" She asked. He looked a little surprised. "We weren't actively trying or anything, we'd just started to talk about it. He was scared the baby would have evil genes and be like him. I had to remind him that his brain tumor caused the things he did in his past. This is not what I expected. I never thought this was the way I would be telling you that you are going to be a father. You aren't the man who made this baby, but I still thought you should know."

"If you will let me, I would love to be this baby's father." He said She beamed at him.

"Good, because babies are hard and I'm going to need help." She grinned.

"Whatever you need, I'm here." He promised. "It isn't the same, but I hope you can except it."

"Yes. Thank you." She walked over to him in the chair, leaned down, and kissed him squarely on the cheek. He stopped for a second, grabbing her arm. It felt natural. He pulled her back toward him about to kiss her, but then he remembered, no matter how what his feelings were, She still loved her husband, and when she looked at him, Franco Baldwin was the man she saw.

Day 121-

Elizabeth waddled into the OBGYN's office surprised to find Franco already waiting in the reception room. A few days earlier, they had kissed. Elizabeth knew the kiss was the right thing. Every day she saw more and more little things about this man which reminded her of her husband. She was convinced he was starting to come back. She had not said a word to him about it though, afraid it might scare him off. He felt guilty for kissing her. She was married to Franco after all. She only smiled, the body still remembered how she liked to be kissed.

They were here today because they were going to find out the baby's gender. Elizabeth was secretly hoping for a girl. But she was going to be happy either way. The baby was a testament to her love for her husband, even if this man was not her Franco.

After the nurse showed them to the ultrasound room, Franco sat on the chair, twitching with nerves. She reached over and took his hand, not sure why she was so compelled to do so.

"It will be OK." This was the first appointment he'd attended, she could see he was nervous. The tech came into the room a few seconds later. She gave them both a warm smile. She covered Elizabeth's belly in the warm ultrasound solution and began running the instrument across until the familiar sound of a heartbeat filled the room.

"I'm going to take a few measurements after I'm done, I can tell you the baby's gender if you want me to." The woman explained with a smile.

"Definitely." Elizabeth and Franco said at the exact same time. They laughed hard, and he kissed her forehead gently as the tech clicked and measured details.

"Everything is looking perfectly normal." She reassured, "The good news is, I'm certain of the gender in this case."

"I'm having another boy, aren't I?" Elizabeth laughed.

"You are having a girl." The woman smiled. Tears came to Elizabeth's eyes. She closed them for a minute. She hoped for this but hearing it, in reality, made everything better.

As they walked out of the office, Elizabeth was surprised when Franco took her hand. He didn't lead her to the car; instead, he walked down the office hallway to an empty bench.

"I need to talk to you for a moment." He looked ominous.

"OK, is something wrong?" She inquired. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine, but I wanted to tell you I've been speaking with Dr. Maddox for the last few weeks. He has studied me further, and he thinks the likelihood of a full reversal is higher than he originally thought. He says he can find remnants of Franco's pattern in my brain. There is a high chance that all of this can be reversed."

"How high?" She demanded.

"75%." His voice was shaky as he spoke the words.

"Could you still end up in the vegetative state?" He looked down at the floor, unable to answer.

"There is a small chance of it." He told her honestly

"I don't think you should do it." She begged, "There is too big a risk."

"I'm going to do this, whether you want me to or not. The court said you can't make my decision. This is the decision I want to make." He kissed her firmly on the lips. "This is the only way."

"Franco, you can't. What if the other 25% happens, what if you forget everything again. I can't lose you, It's not the same sure, but I love you. We've gotten this far." Elizabeth was shocked. Until that moment, she thought she wanted him to get the procedure.

"I love you too, Elizabeth." He said, shocking her. "More than you will ever understand, but I want to be whole. I'm doing this procedure with or without your support."

"Then," She managed tears in her eyes. Franco had just told her he loved her. It was the best feeling she could have imagined. "I support you." He pulled her to him, kissing her passionately. The way his hands held her head, it was like the first time she had kissed the real Franco Baldwin in months.

Day 143-

Elizabeth sat in the waiting room at General Hospital a bundle of nerves, Hayden sat on one side of her and Cameron on the other. Her belly was getting huge now. They had taken Franco back to complete the procedure just over 20 minutes ago. Andre said it wouldn't take long, but Franco would likely sleep for several hours afterward. He was going to try his best to make sure Franco retained his memories from the last few months, but there were no promises. Franco could wake up with a pregnant wife and no idea where he had been over the previous six months.

Elizabeth jumped to her feet as Andre came back out. Cameron gave her hand a tight squeeze. She stared at him, and he broke into a smile.

"Neurologically, it looks as if the procedure was a complete success." Andre beamed. "Now, I can't be certain until he wakes up, but his brain waves look strong. Someone is awake in there."

"Thank you for the good news," Elizabeth grinned. Dr. Maddox hugged her. "Can I go and see him?"

"They are moving him to a room now." He spoke. "As soon as he is settled, you can go and sit with him."

"Mom, you should probably eat something," Cameron interjected, wondering if his pregnant mother had eaten at all that day.

"Yeah, I can do that." She pulled herself to her feet.

"I will stay up here with him until you get back," Hayden smiled at her sister before heading off after Andre. Elizabeth was grateful for her sister.

After a substantial meal of hospital cafeteria crap, Elizabeth made her way to Franco's room. She flashed back to six months earlier when she stood in this very room begging Franco to wake up. She wouldn't do that now. Whatever man was lying in this bed, she loved him, and he loved her. They would make it work. For the first time in her life, she understood true love. She had what everyone searched for.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I'm here now. You can wake up whenever you are ready." She glanced down at him, brushing the hair off his forehead. It was getting long again like it had been when they first started dating. She remembered how she used to like to play with his hair. As she leaned down to kiss him on the forehead, his eyes fluttered open.

"Elizabeth." He muttered, his eyes were a little wild.

"Hey, Franco." His smile was blinding.

"That's me." He said. A flutter of relief washed over her. "Sorry I was gone for longer than I meant." He pulled her to him, not seeming surprised by her pregnancy. They didn't fit in the hospital bed, but neither of them cared, it was a blissful moment.

"So, what do you remember?" She asked.

"Everything." There was a regretful tone to his voice. "I'm sorry about Kim."

"Ancient history," Elizabeth promised. "She took advantage of you, I hate her for what she did, but I do not blame you, babe, I just love you, and that's it." He leaned in and kissed her softly.

"As much as I am enjoying this moment." He started. "You shouldn't be laying here like this, and there is someone else I would like to talk to."

"Who?" She asked a little surprised.

"Cameron," Elizabeth gave him an understanding look.

"He's right outside, I can send him in." Elizabeth stepped outside, and Franco looked around the room as Cameron walked in the door.

"Hey, Franco," Cameron whispered.

"Hey, kid," Franco said. "I get that this isn't going to be easy, but I want you to understand how proud of you I am. You fought for me almost as hard as your mom did, even though you don't like me much. So, Thanks"

"I have been hoping for six months now that I would get to tell you how grateful I am to you." Cameron swallowed hard. "Things are different for Jake and Aiden, they have dads. They may not always be there for them like you are, but they know them. I never had one. Lucky tried, but he isn't my father. I never felt like anyone was my dad until you Franco, the fact that you were willing to sacrifice yourself for me, proved that. So just so you are aware you are right, I don't like you, I love you." Franco couldn't help but sob.

"I love you too, Cam." The teenage boy threw himself at him hugging him tighter than Franco had ever known him to.

"Thanks for what you did." Cam managed, wiping a tear from his cheek. Elizabeth peeked into the room. Her husband and teenage son were hugging tightly. It made her heart flutter.

"They want to check your vitals," Elizabeth told them.

"Any chance I'm going home today?" Franco stared at her with pleading eyes. They had nearly slept together the night before, but she made him wait until after the procedure.

"Nope, three days at least." He groaned.

"Three whole days." He gave a look of mock horror.

"Yes, but If you are good, I will bring Jake and Aiden by to see you later tonight." He looked touched by her words.

"Sounds like a plan. I missed those guys so much." The excitement was visible on his face.

Day 280-

Franco rushed Elizabeth into the lobby of General Hospital. She'd been having contractions for several hours now, but they were finally close enough together to come to the hospital. He pushed her to the nurse's station.

"I'm in labor." She told the nurse, Franco vaguely recognized the woman and knew that Elizabeth must recognize her as well.

"How far apart are the contractions." She asked.

"Still like 15 minutes, but her water broke," Franco told the nurse. He was much more nervous than the two women.

"I called ahead, and they said, Dr. Ambrose, is at a conference in Manhattan," Elizabeth worried. "They told me they would contact the on-call Doctor."

"Yes, It's Dr. Nero. She should be here any moment." Elizabeth and Franco both looked as if they may throw up. "I don't know if you two know her, but she's great with her patients." Before either of them could object further, Kim entered. She looked instantly stricken.

"They told me one of doctor Ambrose's patients was coming in. I didn't realize it was you." Kim spoke frantically.

"I'll go to mercy." Elizabeth snapped sharply. Franco started to turn the wheelchair around.

"I understand this isn't ideal, I will try to find another Doctor." She blathered. "Until I do, I don't think there is much choice here."

"My choice is to go anywhere else in the world rather than let the woman who essentially raped my husband deliver our child," Elizabeth screamed. The unsuspecting nurse blanched.

"Wait." Kim cried. "You hate me, and you have every right. But I would never do anything to hurt you or your baby. Let me make things right between us."

"You took advantage of my husband when he was not in his right mind. I'm not letting you touch my baby or me!" Liz argued.

"What you did to me Kim, I struggle with it every day. You knew I was not myself, and you slept with me anyway. No matter what you say or do, things are never going to be right between us." Franco added. "I thought you were Liz's friend."

"I wasn't in a good place either." She tried to justify it. "I've had a lot of counseling."

"Is there any other option?" Elizabeth ignored Kim and turned her attention back to the Nurse.

"I can call the other Doctors and find out if any of them would be willing to come in, but this is unorthodox." The nurse looked very flustered.

"There is a strong personal issue between Doctor Nero and us, I want to give birth to my baby here, but not if she's the one doing it," Elizabeth told her as another contraction hit.

"Do we have a problem here?" Epiphany asked, walking up to them. Liz smiled at her.

"The only OB on call this evening is Dr. Nero, and this couple refuses to let her deliver their baby." The nurse rambled on.

"I don't blame them." Epiphany huffed. "There is a bad history here. I don't like Dr. Nero much either after what she has done."

"I sensed that." The nurse laughed awkwardly. Kim had crossed her arms over her chest and was refusing to look at Liz or Franco.

"Get them checked in, I can call in a personal favor," Epiphany barked. "If that doesn't work, I will deliver the baby myself." Kim looked shocked as they walked away, failing to acknowledge her further. Franco turned back as Epiphany pushed Liz.

"You should be in jail or a psych ward for what you did to my family and me. So, do me a favor and stay away from us." He said. "I am too happy to care about you, but if you force the issue, I will fight you."

"Drew." She pleaded.

"My name is Franco." He said, and he walked after his wife and Epiphany.

An hour later, Elizabeth lay in the hospital bed covered in sweat. Things were progressing quickly now. Franco had never looked so panicked or so happy. Scott was at the house with the boys, he was even planning to spend the night with them if necessary. Dr. Karen James was an older woman with a sharp disposition, but she was better than Kim. She had retired 2 years earlier, but still had rights at the hospital. Liz had been the nurse who took care of her husband after his kidney transplant. When Epiphany called, she had come right over.

"OK, Elizabeth, it's time to push." Franco held her hand as she squeezed. She remembered that childbirth was painful, but this was bad. She pushed her hardest, and she heard Franco encouraging her to keep going, and he was right there. Elizabeth may have three other kids, but no one had ever supported her during childbirth like Franco. She had always felt alone before now. He changed everything.

"The shoulders are out." Dr. James said, and Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief when she heard the first cries of her newborn baby daughter.

Day 365

Franco pulled a cloth diaper out of the drawer. He set baby Katherine on the changing table and placed it delicately over her butt. Elizabeth was going back to work today, and he was going to be alone with Katherine for the first time since she was born. Cameron crept into the room and looked down at his sister.

"I still think we should call her Kiki." He glanced down at the little girl with a smile. They'd chosen the name in honor of Lauren Katherine "Kiki" Jerome. Franco smiled.

"I'm pushing for Kitty, I think it is close enough to Kiki without being a copy, and she just seems like a Kitty to me." She cooed as he gave her belly a tiny tickle.

"What do you think, Kitty," Cameron said, taking the baby from his father. She smiled in a cute baby way. Cameron turned back to Franco, the little girl still in his arms. "Are you going to be OK here today? I can skip school if you want."

"Good try, but no, I got this," Franco teased, looking down at the baby with her mop of dark brown hair. "Daddy's got this, right kitty?"

"I thought we were sticking with Katherine," Elizabeth smiled, entering and wrapping her arms around her husband.

"Kitty." Cameron and Franco said at the same time, then laughed.

"Fine, Kitty it is then." Elizabeth agreed, and they all laughed. As she stared down at the beautiful little girl, she realized her family was back together, and this time it would be forever. 


End file.
